The Background
by Sayuri Namikaze
Summary: This is my first story for fanfiction. It is a songfic using Third Eye Blind's The Background. It is about Kakashi and an OC and sort of an AU to a story about them that I have started writing and will hopefully be able to post here soon.


Disclaimer, I do not own Naruto or the song, The Background by Third Eye Blind

**The Background**

**Everything is quiet since you're not around  
And I live in the numbness now  
In the background  
**

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here again? You know, we're late! C'MON! Let's go!"

"Oh, right, sorry. Let's go."

"I know you love being late, but for once, for me can't you at least try to be somewhat on time? You know how irritating it is to hear Naruto and Sakura screaming at you. Or how about the endless barrage of questions they direct at me as to where you are. You know if I get subjected to that one more time I just might have to kick your ass!"

"HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?"

"Hmm... did you say something?"

"Sensei, you are infuriating."

"I don't know what you mean," Kakashi said in mock innocence.

"Wait, you said WE'RE late, which means, YOU are late too… which means if I get there before you," playfulness breaking through his usually dry tone

"WHAT?! HEY that's not fair! C'mon sensei! I'm only late because I was out looking for you, and because you didn't wake me before you left!"

A devilish grin spread across his face, "I did try to wake you, but for some reason you seemed to enjoy it too much to believe that you were awake…"

"I suppose it did feel a bit to dream like… a slight blush painted her cheeks, "but that's beside the point sensei, IF I get there before you, HE did not like the look that was spreading across her features,

And with that she was gone… in the distance he heard her call out,

"Don't forget, after training we need to go to the store, to get some food, the cabinets are empty."

"Yeah yeah, I know," he said with his eye crinkling smile before giving chase.

**I do the things we did before  
I walk Haight street to the store **

**And then they say where's that crazy girl**

"Hello Kakashi," the store clerk greeted. "It's been awhile since you came in" How's that girl you always came in with, what was her name again?"

"It wa-, it IS…"

**  
You don't get drunk on red wine, and fight no more **

"Sorry, I'm late! You see a black ca-"  
"SAVE IT!"

"Urhmm.. well you see I was getting you guys a mission but this ca-"

"A MISSION?! WHAT KIND OF MISSION? WHERE ARE WE GOING? PROTECTING A BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS OF SOME KIND. OH OR MAYBE A RIC-

"NARUTO SHUT UP!" Sakura yelled.

"Sensei we have a mission! Why didn't you tell me on the way here?" She said with a slight pout to her lips.

Chuckling slightly Kakashi ruffled her hair a bit, and lent down very close to her ear. He whispered, the breath tickling her skin, "because if I told you before you would never have let me…" his one visible eye trailing her body suggestively.

"OK! She said just a bit too loudly especially when accompanied by her rapidly reddening face. "I get it, but still you could have at least mentioned it…"

"That would not have been fair to the rest of your team, who were waiting here patiently for my arrival."

"HA! I guess you are right sensei, still if I had known I would have made sure you were here much sooner," she stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

The rest of the team looked at them eyes filled with confusion and a bit of curiosity.

"Well you see it is going to be a simple escort mission for the most part. When we reach our destination we are to remain with our client for a few days. There we will be given instructions on infiltrating…"

**I don't see you anymore  
Since the hospital **

"Tsunadae is she going to be ok?! Can I see her? I need to see her, please…" Kakashi said, his voice trembling. His whole body shaking with fear, and anxiety.

"Kakashi, I'm going to warn you. It does not look good. I don't know if she'll come back from this. She's in pretty bad shape. We have done all we can for now. We are just going to have to wait and see," Tsunadae said crestfallen, with sadness saturating every word.

"What do you mean, you are just joking with me right! Tsunadae, you are a Sannin, a legendary healer! And you're telling me YOU don't know if she's going to survive!" he raged,

"Kakashi calm down, you won't do her any good if she were to see you like this. I think it'd be best if-

"She's awake?!"

"No I was just, what I meant was that you should calm down before going in there to see her. If you don't I might just have to knock you out for a while."

Struggling to gain control over himself he began to gain some semblance of his once impenetrable demeanor. Had this been anyone but HER his outward appearance would have been more composed, he wouldn't have to fight to keep the trembling from his voice as he spoke.

His hands shakily found the door handle, taking a deep breath he pushed the handle down and the door in…

**The plans I make still have you in them  
'Cause you come swimming into view  
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do**

"There you are! You know you should really stop coming here, and berating yourself. Your team needs you, go train them already!" He said nothing in reply to her, merely gave her a once over before fixing his gaze on her eyes.

"Hey what are you looking at me like that for? I'm not sure I like it…"she said backing up slowly with her arms outstretched in front of her, hands waving franticly to show she means no harm.

"You look a little nervous, are you feeling ok? I'm not making you nervous am i?"

"N-nnn-no of course nnnot! Hehe." She stuttered rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

And then he pounced.

"EEEP!" Was all she managed to get out before she felt her self plummeting to the ground with a hard body on top of her.

**The words they use so lightly  
I only feel for you **

**  
"**I love you, Kakashi. I love you more than anything!"

"I know, I've heard that before. It seems I'm very easy to love. Girls just fall in love with me all over the place. It's really quite embarrassing. I wonder if you can fall in love so easily would it be just as easy for you to fall out of love if not even easier?"

"HEY! I'm being serious, can't you just listen, jerk"…she mumbled disgruntled. He let a small chuckle escape through his lips. "Did I ever tell you just how adorable you look when you get like this? OOF"

"That's what you get jerk, a nice elbow to the stomach. You know when a girl is-mmmmf"

His lips closed around hers words and anger forgotten for the moment; she let her arms slide up around his neck to tangle into his hair. Her eyes slid closed and his tongue slid slowly along her bottom lip. She parted her lips for him, and his tongue slid in slowly, coaxing her tongue to come dance with his. The kiss was slow and lazy, but sweet, passionate, and filled with all those things she knew he felt for her and only her.

The kiss ended, when the need for air became apparent. Kakashi was the first to recover and before she had a chance to finish any thoughts she had previously he just looked at her. The look in his eye burning through her with it's intensity. All playfulness was drained from his face. He looked at her with such a serious expression, and with sincerity she only knew he could possess when he opened his mouth to speak.

"I love you and only you, you are the only one I could ever feel this way for, it's more than love, something I can't quite put into words."

"I know, ALL the guys give me that line."

"…"

"Kakashi?... are you ok?" She began to feel the air around her turn dangerous, and then she caught a glimpse of the look in his eye.

"Sensei.. Iii- ii II I, I didn't mean that! Hey... I was just kidding, hey!"

He smirked, "wha-wwhat's that smirk for…" and the next thing she knew she was running for her life. Running from a very scary jounin who had so much of a mind as to catch his student and teach her a very valuable lesson…

**I only know because I, carry you around in the background  
I'm in the background**

Nothing has been the same around here for a while.

Kakashi a permanent fixture in the back corner of the bar. Ever since... she…

Naruto and Sakura as well as a few others sat around the same table.

"NARUTO! Leave him alone would you."

"Aww c'mon Sakura I just wanted to…"

"Shut it." Sakura stated dangerously before turning her attention over to Kakashi.

"Sensei…"

**Words they come and memories all repeat **

**I lift your head while, they change the hospital sheets**

Her eyes fluttered slightly. She wasn't sure where she was only that her body felt heavy and some one was cradling her head in their arms. She had taken in the scent and knew instantly who it was holding her. He was always the one. She smiled internally knowing she was somewhere safe.

"Sensei…"

"Yes, I'm here!, You're awake! Nurse! Nurse! Get Tsunadae!"

"Sen sseen sei I-" Pain etched into her face suddenly, as if she had just realized she was injured.

"Shh! Don't try to talk you're ok, you're going to be ok. You're in the hospital, you've been out of it for a little while."

"Sensei, I want to tell you, I need to tell you that I-"

The door burst open and Tsunadae came in, "welcome back, kid. Kakashi would you please step outside for a moment we need to"

"NO! Please he can stay; I don't want him to go…"

"Are you sure, it might be better, more comfortable if he was not in the room while we check everything over"

"It's ok he's already seen everything there is to see, I want him to stay. Please Lady Tsunadae."

"OK then, I guess that settles it."

**And I would never lie to you,  
No, I would never lie to you,**

Kakashi can I see you outside for a moment? Tsunadae asked her expression was troubled.

Hesitating for only the briefest of moments he stood from her bedside, assuring her it would only take a minute and he would come right back.

The second the door clicked closed, Tsunadae turned to face him.

"Kakashi it does not look good. It's a miracle that she has lasted this long, that she even woke up! I thought because she was awake that she was getting better, but her condition,

"NO! She can't, don't say it Tsunadae! I won't hear it! I believe in her! She will beat this, she is too strong to... I can't lose her, not like this." His voice slipping into a broken whisper towards the end.

He turned from a stunned Tsunadae, opened her door and stepped back in. As the door shut closed on Tsunadae a look of recognition flashed across her face, and she whispered bitterly to herself, "Don't blame yourself for this Kakashi,"

"What did she want to talk to you about? I have a sneaking suspicion it was about me."  
"I'm not going to lie to you, she tried to tell me that you…"

"That I what…"

"That you… aren't going to make it…" his voice dropped,

He had been studying her face watching to see how she would take the news, "but I told her she was wrong, and that she was just selling you short!"

"Kakashi…"her face hadn't changed she only looked sorrowful after he had told her he believed she would get better, "don't blame yourself, I know you… if I don't make it. Please promise me you won't blame yourself."

**I felt you long after we were through  
When we were through**

"Sensei…" Are you ok? Can you here me?" Sakura asked concern marring her face and seeping into her words.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah Sakura I'm fine, maybe I just had a little too much sake, I'm going to go get some fresh air." He stood up, excused himself from the table and slipped out into the cool night air the moon was shining brightly illuminating his path.

He wandered letting his feet carrying him to wherever it is that they wanted to go.

Realizing his feet had stopped moving after some period of walking he looked up he was in front of HER door, shakily he went to reach for the handle. Just as he was about to step into the room he was overcome by a memory.

"Kakashi sensei, I'm letting go of you. You hear me; you better do me the same honor! Let me go, we're through ok. DO you understand me?! Sensei please! Don't make this harder for me than it already is. Please say some thing, anything" she was crying, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Don't, don't say that, don't say those things! You love me; I love you more than you could possibly know! How can you say this to me?"

"Just let me go, it will get better I promise. I'm sorry."

As he stepped into the hospital room shaking his head to rid of the painful memory, he looked around, taking in the empty bed. _This isn't her room anymore,_ he thought to himself, _how odd that my legs would have brought me here. She hasn't been here in this room for years._

He exited through the window and made his way to the rooftops running top speed.

This time he had his destination set. He made his way to the lake at the training grounds.

After reaching it he sat down leaned back on his elbows with his legs stretched out in front of him. He watched the moonlight dance across the lake before a shadow broke through the water.

**The plans I make still have you in them  
'Cause you come swimming into view  
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do**

Kakashi sensei?! What are you doing here? Shock running through her tone at seeing him here.

You always loved swimming in the moonlight. I wanted to see you.

A warm smile lit her features, Sensei, I've only been moved out for a week and I just saw you earlier today for training! Surely you just miss me sneaking into your bed at night. She was teasing him. "Why don't you come join me?"

He stripped himself down to his boxers before diving into the lake.

_You know I wanted to marry you, or something like it. Spend the rest of my life with you, maybe have a few kids. Have a family. I still see you there with me, see us with a couple of kids. _

"I wanted to talk to-"

"Shh. Just swim with me."

**The words they use so lightly I only feel for you  
**

"I love you, and only you." His whispered words were caught by a passing breeze. He hoped the wind would carry them to wherever she was.

**I only know because I, carry you around in the background  
I'm in the background**

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here again? You know, we're late! C'MON! Let's go!"

He froze, was his mind playing tricks on him again? He wondered to himself. _No, not this time._

"Sensei c'mon we have a mission!"

"A mission?"

"Yeah, it's a simple escort mission. You know, bring the client home, stay around…" her voice trailed off… "Sensei…?"

But it was too late he was already gone.

Sakura glanced at the stone, down to her comrade and friend's name. _A simple escort mission. Just like the one…_ Her thoughts were interrupted by Naruto.

"Hey Sakura! Where's Kakashi sensei? He's always here at this time."

"He's gone Naruto, I told him we had a mission, and he just left, I don't know where he went but I think it had something to do with…" her eyes glanced back to the name on the memorial stone. Naruto usually slow on the uptake immediately understood, "Nee-san" he whispered.

"Baka-sensei! Naruto seethed. "She didn't want this for him. She made him promise! Nee-san made us all promise Sakura-chan!" Sakura wrapped Naruto into a hug as his tears began to fall.

"I know Naruto, I know." Sakura replied

**I only know but I am, way,  
I'm way in the background.**

"Baka-sensei, what are you doing in my room! Do you want us to get caught?!" She giggled as his hands ran up and down her sides.

"STOp haha th haha that! That's not fair sensei."

"I don't play fair you should know that. Do you really expect me to stay away from you for the time that we are here? Sneaking around here is so much easier than sneaking around in the village you know."

"I know, but it just seems a little weird… doing this, in a client's house, while on a mission."

"Obviously I still have a few things left to teach you." He smirked and with that covered her lips with his own.

"Baka-sensei" he muttered to no one in particular, "I should never have…"

"Should of never what baka-sensei? Naruto's voice cut through his reverie.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I should never have…" he struggled for words, wondering how he should tell Naruto why his nee-san died. He knew it was his fault. He should have been more careful.

"I never should have let my guard down; I should have never let her… I should never have fallen in love with her."

Naruto was stunned into silence. Suddenly everything clicked into place. Everything, even the smallest of gestures or briefest of glances.

"You loved her." Naruto blurted out. Kakashi nodded his head meekly. "She was in love with you too. I get it now sensei, why she told you to let her go. You were the only one who…" he let his sentence go unfinished as he watched his sensei's one visible eye.

He heard it again, her laugh. Naruto had left him sometime ago. He laid alone on his bed at their client's house."Baka-sensei, what did I tell you?" she was laughing at him.

And suddenly nothing mattered anymore. He faded away somewhere that only she existed. He ceased to exist showing up in places where her memories echoed to him. Places where he could still feel her, smell her scent, it was those places that his memories of her took over pushing him from his world to see her. To touch her, taste her, if only for a moment more.


End file.
